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Robert Barnabas Brough
Robert Barnabas Brough (10 April 1828 - 26 June 1860) was an English poet and satirical writer. Life Brough was born in London. He was educated at a private school at Newport, Monmouthshire, where his father commenced business as a brewer and failed, it is said, through political causes.Knight, 447. Brough began active life in Manchester as a clerk. He was fond of art, drew pretty well, and is said to have practised as a portrait-painter. Subsequently he moved to Liverpool, where, while still under age, he started a weekly satirical journal entitled The Liverpool Lion. A burlesque on the subject of the The Tempest, written with his brother William Brough who had joined him in Liverpool, and entitled The Enchanted Isle, was produced at the Amphitheatre in that city. It was seen and approved by Benjamin Webster, who, on 20 Nov. 1848, transferred it to the Adelphi in London. This led to the establishment of the brothers Brough in London, where they became constant and well-known contributors to the press. Before leaving Liverpool they had married sisters. Elizabeth (Romer), the wife of Robert Brough, was at one time a member of the Haymarket company. Alone or with his brother, Robert wrote a series of burlesques, which were played at the Adelphi, Lyceum, Olympic, and other theatres, together with some adaptations from the French. His labours in other branches of literature were incessant. In the first volume of the Welcome Guest, which he edited, appeared his novel Miss Brown, and many short stories, poems, and essays. Marston Lynch, reprinted 1860, with a memoir by Mr. G. A. Sala, saw the light in the Train, 1856-7, to which he also contributed translations of the poems of Victor Hugo. He wrote in such comic papers as the Man in the Moon and Diogenes, was for a short time editor of the Atlas, and was the Brussels correspondent of the Sunday Times. In the world of journalism Brough was popular, and references to him are abundant in Mr. Yates's Recollections and Experiences and in Reminiscences of an old Bohemian. He died at Manchester in the house of his brother-in-law, Mr. William Chilton, 26 June 1860, on his way to North Wales, where he had been sent for his health. His health was bad, and his early death had long been anticipated. He left a widow and three children. A benefit performance for his widow and children was given in July 1860 by 5 companies for which he had written burlesques. Writing Brough's verses are of their epoch. They, have neatness of execution and happiness of fancy, but are without the kind of finish sought in modern days. His burlesques were among the best of a not very important class, and his essays are bright and humorous. The 'Songs of the Governing Classes' consist of satirical poems written from a radical point of view. Some of his works are rare and are priced very high in booksellers' catalogues. His republished works are: 'Cracker Bon-Bons for Christmas Parties,' 1851, 'Life of Sir John Falstaff,' with illustrations by George Cruikshank, 1858, 'Shadow and Substance,' 1859, 'Songs of the Governing Classes,' 1859, 'Miss Brown,' 1860, 'Marston Lynch, his Life and Times,' 1860, 'Ulf the Minstrel,' 1860, 'Which is Which?' (a romance), 1860. He also translated 'La Famille Alain' of Alphonse Karr. His best known burlesques written in conjunction with his brother are: 'Camaralzaman and Badoura,' 'The Sphinx,' and 'Ivanhoe,' and of those he wrote alone 'Medea,' to which the performance of Robson gave much celebrity, 'Masaniello,' and 'The Siege of Troy.' Publications Poetry *''Songs of the "Governing Classes", and other lyrics''. London: Vizetelly, 1855, 1890. Plays *''The Enchanted Isle; or, "Raising the wind" on the most approved principles''. London: National Acting Drama Office, 1848. *''Camaralzaman and Badoura; or, The peri who loved the prince: An extravagant Arabian night's entertainment, in two acts''. London: National Acting Drama Office, 1848. *''The Sphinx: A touch of the ancients, in one act''. London: National Acting Drama Office, 1849. *''The Second Calender; and or, The queen of beauty, who had the fight with the genie: An extravaganza, in two acts''. London: National Acting Drama Office, 1850. *''The Last Edition of Ivanhoe; with all the newest improvements: An extravaganza in two acts''. London: National Acting Drama Office, 1850. *''The Twelve Labours of Hercules: A comedy in two acts''. London: T.H. Lacy, 1851. *''King Alfred and the Cakes''. London: David Bogue, 1852. *''Orpheus and Eurydice''. London: David Bogue, 1852. *''The Moustache Movement: An original farce, in one act''. London: T.H. Lacy, 1854. *''Crinoline: An original farce, in one act''. London: T.H. Lacy, 1856. *''The Doge of Duralto, or, The enchanted eyes: An extravaganza''. London: T.H. Lacy, 1857. *''Masaniello; or, The fish'oman of Naples: A fish tale, in one act''. London: T.H. Lacy, 1857. *''The Siege of Troy: A burlesque, in one act''. Winchester, UK: printed by Hugh Barclay, 1858. *''Alfred the Great; or, The minstrel king: An historical extravaganza''. London: T.H. Lacy, 1859. *''Mephistopheles; or, An ambassador from below: An extravaganza, in one act''. London: T.H. Lacy, 1859. *''Kensington Gardens; or, Quite a ladies' man: A comedy, in two acts''. London: T.H. Lacy, 1861. Novels *''The Life of Sir John Falstaff'' (illustrated by George Cruikshank). London: Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans, & Roberts, 1858. *"Miss Brown", in Miss Brown: A romance, and other tales in prose and verse. London: Ward, Lock, 1860. *''Marston Lynch: His life and times, his friends and enemies, his victories and defeats, his kicks and halfpence, a personal biography''. London: Ward, Lock, 1860. *''Which is which? or, Miles Cassidy's contract a picture story''. London: W. Kent, 1860. Juvenile *''Ulf the Minstrel; or, The princess Diamonduckz and the hazel fairy: A dragon story for Christmas''. London: Houlston & Wright, 1859. Collected editions *''A Cracker Bon-Bon for Christmas Parties: Consisting of Christmas pieces, for private representation, and other seasonable matter, in prose and verse''. London: David Bogue, 1852. Edited *''The Comic Almanack''. London: Charles Tilt, 1834-1852. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Robert Barnabas Bough, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Jan. 31, 2017. See also *List of British poets *List of English-language playwrights References * . Wikisource, Web, Jan. 31, 2017. Notes External links ;Poems *"An Early Christian" *"My Lord Tomnoddy" in A Victorian Anthology ;About *"Robert Barnabas Brough: a republican writer of the mid-nineteenth century" by Cynthia Dereli * Brough, Robert Barnabas Category:1828 births Category:1860 deaths Category:19th-century poets Category:English dramatists and playwrights Category:English humorists Category:English poets Category:Humorous poets Category:Poets Category:English-language poets